Benign bile duct tumours, non-parasitic liver cysts and liver damage in males.

Pathogenetic associations between benign hepatic tumours and liver damage were studied in an autopsy series of 91 males with high incidence of alcoholism. Information on the consumption of alcohol was obtained by interviewing a family member or a close friend of the deceased. The reported use of alcohol correlated well with the increase of fatty and fibrotic changes and with the occurrence of liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis or pancreatitis. Benign bile duct tumours (bile duct adenomas and von Meyenburg's complexes) (n = 26) were associated with the occurrence of bridging (P less than 0.0005) and periportal (P less than 0.025) fibrosis of the liver and, independently from these, with chronic pancreatitis (P less than 0.05) and with non-parasitic liver cysts (n = 14) (P less than 0.01). The weight of the liver was greater (P less than 0.01) in males with focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 3). Cavernous hemangioma (n = 19) occurred independently of the parameters studied. None of the tumours showed significant correlation to liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver or diseases of the gallbladder. The results are in line with observations on the reactive nature and connections to fibropolycystic liver disease of benign bile duct tumours in laboratory animals and in man. Their presence in human liver specimens should be taken into account as a sign of liver damage, in this study related to heavy use of alcohol or to chronic inflammation of the pancreas.